DO WE STILL DO CAR TUNE-UPS?

Growing up in the car business, I learned early on the importance of getting your car tuned-up regularly. However, that was when car tune-ups were done about every 25,000 miles. “Give me plugs and wires and you better check the ‘points’ in the distributor” a customer would request. Fast forward to today and the tune-up, while still important, is become a much less frequent service.

Changes Due to Technology
Technology brought on by ever increasing emission requirements has greatly lengthened the service intervals of today’s vehicles. Yes, you still replace plugs and wires, but it’s usually recommended every 100,000 miles instead of 25,000 miles. And cars today do not even have “distributors” and “points” anymore. Frankly, I would say less than half of today’s drivers even know what a tune-up is!

When a Tune-Up Makes Sense
However, most cars still have spark plugs, so tune-ups are recommended at the 100,000-mile interval. Because of the computer technology, it is more important than ever to make sure and complete the tune-up at that time. Worn spark plugs or bad plug wires can cause the vehicle computer modules to make unnecessary engine adjustments and cause the vehicle to run improperly. Getting your vehicle tuned up is important if you plan to drive it another year or more. This will save you headaches and money in the long run.

Due to the quality of today’s vehicles, many people are driving them not only over 100,000 miles, but many over 200,000 miles. Tune-ups are a great investment for long-range driving.

Other Important Services at the Same Time
When you get a tune-up, be sure to consider having your suspension and coolant system checked as well. Your suspension has many components to help your ride and handling, but many of those components can cause tire wear if in inferior condition. Also, make sure your coolant has not been contaminated to avoid issues with your radiator or heater core getting plugged up. Check out all our service specials on our website.

If you have questions about anything service related with your car, call our service department at 507-238-4786 to get your questions answered and make an appointment. You can also schedule service online any time.

Tune-Up
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